Strictly Come Dancing S4

The BBC ONE smash-hit Saturday night series Strictly Come Dancing is set to return to screens in October and this year the competition is even bigger! With two weeks extra added to the show and two more celebrities than last year, 14 stars will be paired with internationally renowned professional dancers in the hottest competition of 2006.

Officially announced today (Wednesday 13 September) and stepping up to the challenge this year are:

For the women

Emma Bunton (singer)

Georgina Bouzova (actress)

Claire King (actress)

Louisa Lytton (actress)

Mica Paris (songstress and TV presenter)

Jan Ravens (comedy actress)

Carol Smillie (TV presenter)

For the men

Matt Dawson (World Champion rugby player)

Ray Fearon (actor)

Nicholas Owen (newsreader)

Mark Ramprakash (cricketer)

Peter Schmeichel (legendary former Manchester United goalkeeper)

Spoony (DJ)

Jimmy Tarbuck (comedian and entertainer)

Former Spice Girl and chart-topping solo artist Emma Bunton will be dancing with Darren Bennett; Casualty actress Georgina Bouzova, who plays Ellen, is paired with James Jordan who takes part in his first Strictly Come Dancing competition; former Emmerdale and Bad Girls actress Claire King is partnered with Brendan Cole; EastEnders actress Louisa Lytton, better known as gangster's daughter Ruby Allen, dances with Vincent Simone, also new to the series; songstress and new host of BBC ONE's What Not to Wear, Mica Paris, pairs with Ian Waite; Dead Ringers comedy actress Jan Ravens partners Anton Du Beck and finally for the women, TV presenter Carol Smillie joins Matthew Cutler.

For the men this year, A Question of Sport team captain and former international rugby star Matt Dawson dances with half of 2005's winning couple Lilia Kopylova; star of stage and screen and most recently as Coronation Street's Nathan, Ray Fearon partners Camilla Dallerup; ITV News presenter Nicholas Owen partners with Nicole Cutler; cricketer Mark Ramprakash joins Karen Hardy; TV presenter and legendary former Manchester United goalkeeper, Peter Schmeichel, dances with Erin Boag; Radio Five Live DJ Spoony is paired with Aleksandra 'Ola' Jordan and finally for the men, comedian and entertainer Jimmy Tarbuck is paired with Flavia Cacace.

The legendary Bruce Forsyth and his glamorous co-host Tess Daly will once again return to present the show. Len Goodman, Craig Revel Horwood, Arlene Phillips and Bruno Tonioli also return to judge the competitors' performances.

Bruce Forsyth said: "The whole nation seems to have taken Strictly Come Dancing to its heart in a way that we could never have believed it would happen. I can't wait to get back on screen with this wonderful show. Here's to a great fourth series!"

Tess Daly said: "With a line-up like this, the new series is set to be bigger and better than ever before. Where else could you see a Spice Girl dancing alongside Jimmy Tarbuck?!"

From the off, the couples will face the public and studio vote with the lowest-scoring couple leaving the competition.

In a change to last year's format, week one sees the boys dancing to stay in the competition whilst the girls entertain with a group mambo.

In week two the female celebrities fight to stay in the competition whilst the men kick back with a group West Coast Swing.

From week three all couples will compete against each other performing either the jive or the tango.

As in previous series, all the proceeds from viewer voting will go towards BBC Children in Need which last year raised over £1.5 million.

Also returning is the daily sister show Strictly Come Dancing – It Takes Two with Claudia Winkleman on BBC TWO.

It features exclusive footage from rehearsals and training as well as interviews with the judges and the contestants. All the latest news and gossip on the training and the show can be found on the Strictly Come Dancing website bbc.co.uk/strictlycomedancing